


in tenebris

by Ryukotsusei



Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: Abuse of Authority, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Canon-Typical Violence, Depression, Dubious Morality, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Family Secrets, Forbidden Love, Forced Marriage, Forced Relationship, Ghoul Cannibalism (Tokyo Ghoul), Internal Conflict, Kaneki Ken is the One-Eyed King, Loss of Control, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Overpowered Ken Kaneki, Psychological Torture, Self Confidence Issues, Self-Doubt, Self-Hatred, Sexual Content, Sunlit Garden-AU, Trust Issues, Unhealthy Relationships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-21
Updated: 2020-07-21
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:08:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25419703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ryukotsusei/pseuds/Ryukotsusei
Summary: The older Ken gets, the more light disappears from the sunny garden.
Relationships: Furuta Nimura/Kaneki Ken | Sasaki Haise
Comments: 4
Kudos: 28





	in tenebris

**Author's Note:**

> Uh, hello. I was supposed to continue working on the existing stories. . .  
> But I've been wanting to write an AU at Sunlit Garden for ages, and now I've done it, even if maybe I shouldn't. I'm sorry about that.  
> I hope someone still has a bit of fun with it. . . Although the Sunlit Garden isn't that interesting for most people, I guess?
> 
> If there are many mistakes in the text, I'm sorry too. I first write my FFs in German (even if the German TG-fandom is fucking dead, lol) and then translated them into English.
> 
> Well, enjoy reading anyway :D

Ken had to wear the blood-red kimono with the golden embroidery whenever he left the main house of the Sunlit Garden to fulfill his duties.  
The noble garment was a status symbol and made everyone unequivocally understand that he was the desired second miracle.  
His blood was not pure and yet it was this very blood that made him special.

Because Ken was a half-ghoul. 

A rare hybrid that was of inconceivable value to the Washuus. Legends grew around the incredible strength of his kind.  
No one could withstand their power, in rage they were unstoppable beasts. It was said that only once in a century did a half-ghoul arise from the unnatural connection between man and ghoul. 

His birth was therefore all the more a miracle, because only a few years ago Eto was born, who shared his unique blood, but had a decisive mistake - her gender. It would have been completely unthinkable to give a woman all the power over the ancient Washuu family.  
And so the joy was great when, unexpectedly, another child was born that fulfilled all the requirements. 

He lacks nothing.  
He was treated like a king and Eto like a queen. They were dressed in the finest clothes, were given only the tenderest meat, were carefully prepared for their later tasks and were deeply respected. Almost all their wishes were fulfilled to them - only to leave the garden was forbidden, even for them. 

But Ken also liked the rays of sunshine, which touched his pale skin in this place and warmed him so pleasantly. He didn't feel locked up.  
Everything he needed, he had here. Upright and deliberate, Ken descended the stairs. The wind gently drove through his snow-white hair, which formed a sharp contrast to the deep red of his kimono. It was a beautiful day. The adults greeted him reverently, and many of them even bowed down to him. But Ken didn't really have eyes for them.

He was much more interested in the children, who were playing with a ball at some distance. However, Ken was strictly forbidden to approach the half-humans. They have dirty blood, he was told. He was only allowed to surround himself exclusively with Eto and the ghouls, who belonged to the pure Washuu lineage.  
But apart from Rize, there was no one his age at the time, and Ken longed for a friend. 

It wasn't that he didn't like Eto or Rize, but. . . they were girls and he wasn't allowed to play with them like a boy.  
Ken was eight years old and it would be nice to run around with someone, to fight a little and to romp.  
He had a lot of energy and when he watched the other children laugh and do exactly what he was not allowed to do, he would have liked to join in anyway. 

But he was too scared of it.  
He feared what the others would say.  
He feared that they were right and something bad would happen. That they would made him as filthy as their blood was. 

Ken turned his look away with a heavy heart and went on. He shouldn’t be staring. And he had still his duties to fulfill.  
But then Ken saw from the corner of his eyes how the ball rolled towards him. 

“I’m going to get him!”, called one of the boys and came towards him, but when their eyes met, he stopped abruptly. He had raven-black hair, a side parting, and dark eyes that looked at him with an expression that Ken had never seen before. There was no admiration. No reverence or fear. There was nothing. Just emptiness.  
His face was strikingly pretty, he had a mole under his left eye and a stature similar to that of Ken. They were almost the same size.  
However, he wore only one of the simple, white garments, like all half-human. Colour or even ornaments were not intended for them.

The ball was almost rolled straight before Ken’s feet, but the boy didn’t make any arrangements to get closer and Ken didn’t know what to say or do.  
That’s why he didn’t say or do anything. It was the first time in his life that he felt so insecure.  
Usually everyone took a step towards him. Usually everyone was kind, bowed down or greeted him with respect. Just like the adults. 

But the boy suddenly turned around without a word and ran back to the other children who were waiting for him.  
“I don’t feel like playing ball anymore. Let’s do something else”, Ken heard him say, “How about catching?”  
And already the boys started to run over the lawn laughing and everyone tried somehow to catch everyone, completely unforced, without any system.  
Nobody looked at him. No one noticed him.

Ken was confused by the obvious rejection. Didn't the boy want to play with the ball anymore because of him?  
What had he done wrong? It felt as if the distance to the other children had suddenly increased even further.  
And Ken was kind of sad about it, even if there was no reason to do it objectively. After all, Ken wasn't one of them anyway. 

He was a half-ghoul. The king of the Sunlit Garden. And the others were merely half-humans who had unclean blood and had to serve and obey him and the Washuus unconditionally throughout their lives. From a appropriate distance. 

Ken understood this even with his eight years. That's how the world worked.  
That's the way it is. 

But the feeling remained.


End file.
